Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Management Updates and Common Questions

Abstract

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is an advanced form of peripheral vascular disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Patients often present with claudication, impaired walking, and ischemic pain. Screening for CLTI and peripheral arterial disease is recommended with ankle-brachial indexing. To prevent progression to CLTI, family medicine physicians can intervene with lifestyle modification of hyperlipidemia, obesity, smoking, and encouraging well-rounded high-fiber diets. OMT can be useful in increasing lower-extremity circulation and collateral-vessel development. If refractive to optimized medical management and lifestyle modification, surgical intervention is required. Regardless of intervention, CLTI maintains a high rate of morbidity and mortality, with halting progression being the primary objective.